Algerian midfielder Saphir Taider has signed for Southampton on loan from Inter Milan (Picture: Getty Images)

So Southampton have finally got another signing done – a swap loan deal with Inter Milan that allows us to be rid of Dani Osvaldo for another year whilst Algerian midfielder Saphir Taider comes into St Mary’s.

The latter part of the deal has utterly baffled me. One of the few areas in the entire squad where we remain strong is in central midfield.

Jack Cork, Victor Wanyama, James Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis are all fine players whilst Morgan Schneiderlin will hopefully stay with the club and be the focal point of a midfield that was excellent last season.

Even if Taider is used in the number 10 role just behind the striker, we have ample cover there – with Davis and Gaston Ramirez able to fill that position.

In this context, the latest signing seems very strange. Taider might well be a promising talent, who has been good enough to be recruited by Inter Milan, and who made a decent impression playing for Algeria in the World Cup.

But with the players that we currently have, I find it hard to see how he’s going to fit in.

Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo has been signed by Inter on a season-long loan (Picture: Getty Images)

Saints boss Ronald Koeman has said that bringing in younger players is part of the club’s philosophy – but why would we sign one on loan when he would be preventing our academy prospects (the likes of Ward-Prowse and Harrison Reed) from getting the game time they require to progress?

This seems like a complete contradiction and is another reason why this move doesn’t make sense.

We have far more pressing priorities right now – we desperately need a centre-back to replace Dejan Lovren, whilst we also require a winger and a striker to give us the necessary squad depth in those areas.

I can see nothing wrong with utilising the loan market at all – it eradicates the possibility of being lumbered with a player like Osvaldo, who cost a great deal but quickly flopped and became surplus to requirements.

But in this case, it hasn’t been used wisely in my eyes. We need to stop signing players where they aren’t needed and start getting ones who are.

The money is there to spend – so I really hope that we see some quality players coming in soon because the season starts in less than a fortnight.